Del. Kathy Szeliga

Maddy summaryHB 650 establishes the Maryland Fair and Agricultural Education Promise Fund, a special non-lapsing fund to provide annual grants for agricultural fairs and education. The bill directs $825,000 to the Maryland Agricultural Fair Board, $75,000 to the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation, and $550,000 to the Maryland State Fair and Agricultural Society for fair promotion, statewide education, and youth programs like 4-H and FFA. It replaces previous funding from the horse racing special fund by requiring a portion of state lottery proceeds (before General Fund allocation) to fund the new Promise Fund. Interest earnings from the fund must be credited back to it, and the fund is administered by the Comptroller with grants paid annually.

Maddy summaryHB 766 amends Maryland's Wildlife Advisory Commission membership rules to require that the member representing the farming community be appointed from a list of candidates provided exclusively by the Maryland Farm Bureau. Previously, the Governor could solicit nominations from any farming community groups, but this bill specifies the Farm Bureau as the sole source for that seat. The bill does not change the total membership (10 members), the other representation categories (hunting, wildlife preservation, and passive recreation), or the academic researcher appointment. This change ensures the Farm Bureau directly influences the selection of its designated representative on the commission.

Maddy summaryHB 631 prohibits the State or its political subdivisions from using eminent domain to take privately owned property subject to a permanent agricultural or conservation easement. This directly affects landowners who hold such easements, protecting their property from forced acquisition for public projects. The bill amends Maryland’s real property law (specifically Section 12-101(b)(2) of the Annotated Code) to add this explicit prohibition. It does not apply to existing legal processes for state roads or Baltimore City. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 739 requires local governments to approve solar energy projects before the state can approve them. The bill prohibits the Public Service Commission from granting state approval for a solar generating station unless every county or city where the project is proposed has provided written consent. This directly affects solar developers, who must now secure local written approvals, and local governments, which gain formal authority to approve or deny projects. The key provision mandates that local consent is a mandatory step in the state approval process for solar energy facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 770 allows Baltimore County restaurants and bars with specific licenses to sell mixed alcoholic drinks in sealed containers for takeout or delivery, under strict conditions. It requires that the drink be purchased with food (not prepackaged snacks), sold only to customers 21+ with ID, packaged in original sealed containers without straws, and delivered by staff before 11 PM. The bill also prohibits delivery to other liquor-licensed businesses or outside Baltimore County. These changes apply only if the County Board of License Commissioners adopts specific regulations addressing public health impacts. The bill modifies existing Maryland code to permit this limited delivery option for restaurants.

Maddy summaryHB 742 prohibits solar energy developers from using eminent domain to acquire private land for constructing solar generating stations. The bill amends Maryland's public utilities code (specifically sections 7-207, 7-207.1, 7-207.2, and 7-208) to explicitly state that no person may exercise eminent domain rights for solar energy projects. This directly affects solar energy companies seeking to build facilities without landowner consent. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, and removes an existing legal pathway for solar developers to compel land purchases.

Maddy summaryHB 680 requires all Maryland municipalities to implement voter registration for local elections and mandates that only U.S. citizens may register to vote in municipal elections. It repeals previous exceptions allowing municipalities to operate without registration (e.g., those using pre-1990 voter lists) and removes provisions for supplemental voter lists. The bill directly affects every city, town, and municipal election in Maryland by standardizing registration rules and enforcing citizenship requirements. It takes effect October 1, 2025, and amends Maryland’s Election Law and Local Government Code to reflect these changes.

Maddy summaryHB 695 repeals a requirement that Maryland's motor fuel tax rates automatically increase annually based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), changing how fuel tax revenue is calculated. The bill bans vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) taxes and similar fees, including requiring devices to track mileage in private vehicles. It also sets specific farebox recovery targets for the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), limits when MTA can raise fares, and removes public hearing requirements for certain fare changes. This directly affects drivers (through fuel tax changes), MTA (via fare rules), and local governments (by prohibiting new transportation fees). The bill modifies existing tax and transportation laws without adding new funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 471 prohibits nonresident aliens, businesses, and government employees from countries subject to U.S. arms embargoes (as listed under 22 C.F.R. § 126.1) from purchasing agricultural land in Maryland or participating in non-food-safety state agricultural programs. The bill directly affects these specific foreign entities by restricting their access to farmland and certain state agricultural initiatives. Key provisions add these restrictions to Maryland’s agricultural code, explicitly excluding programs related to food or food safety regulations. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, and automatically ends if federal law permits states to enforce such restrictions.

Maddy summaryHB 374 prohibits incarcerated individuals convicted of first-degree murder (under §2-201 of Maryland's Criminal Law Article) from earning diminution credits, which reduce prison sentences through good behavior or program participation. This applies to offenders whose crimes occurred on or after October 1, 2025, directly affecting those serving sentences for first-degree murder in state or local correctional facilities. The bill amends Maryland law by removing eligibility for these sentence reductions in Section 3-702 and Section 11-502, ensuring such individuals serve their full sentences without credit for time served. The change takes effect October 1, 2025.